there was usually a cyanide pill recovered from a tooth in a slain officer’s body. But in Marcus’s case, it was noted as missing. We also know he was shot in Morlaix. Not captured by the Allies. So if he had already been shot, why would he take the pill then? Would he really choose to add to an already agonising death for himself? After I read this, I called Frau Strauss once more, and asked if there had been any physical contact at Vivienne’s execution. And she said she remembered Vivienne grabbing him and kissing him. She hadn’t wanted to tell Sophie when we met with her and confirm that even at the end her great-aunt had been so needy for the Nazi officer’s love. She didn’t see how hurting Sophie would help anything.
‘But I don’t think that is what Vivienne was doing. I think there’s a chance that his capsule was in reach and she took it from him. That she may have actually killed herself. That is about the only reason I could see to shoot the woman he loved, if it was to in some way be kind to her. And because he loved her, he couldn’t see her in the absolute agony she must have been in, and so instead took her life with a bullet.’
Tears sprang to Sophie’s eyes – it all made sense now. That had to be why Vivi had shouted the name of the story at him, she knew he wouldn’t have the ability to do what he needed to do so she had done it for him.
Alex continued, ‘Without Vivienne, Marcus would have undoubtedly been revealed, and this would have uncovered a spy who was absolutely crucial to the war effort. And knowing the strength, determination and personal bravery of her great-niece in her own life it doesn’t surprise me that Vivienne would do this.’
There was a hushed reverence around the room as every person weighed what Vivienne might have done for her country. Then slowly the archivists moved together to confer with each other and then one came over to speak to her.
‘We’re all of the same mind. We’re going to take all the information you’ve gathered, plus the information we’ve collected, and we will put a presentation to the National Archives so that the war records can be altered to try to get your relatives the recognition they deserve. They may even receive medals, posthumously.’ He smiled. ‘For their services.’
Sophie nodded, her eyes still filled with tears. ‘That’s incredible, but to clear their names will be more important to our families than any medal could be. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.’
At the end of the presentation, when the lights went back on, Alex had returned to his seat at the back of the room.
Nervously, she approached him. She found herself feeling coy, her heart trying to beat itself out of her chest.
‘Thank you so much for coming.’
‘I had to. Besides, I had another reason,’ he said, a smile crossing his face. ‘I had a very special friend here that I missed and I wanted to check on.’
Sophie realised how much she’d missed him in just two weeks and, hugging him, she enjoyed how it felt to be close to him again.
‘Well, this should finally make my mother happy,’ he declared as she released him. ‘I have you to thank for this, Sophie.’
At the exit of the building, he turned to her.
‘I don’t have to leave right away…’ He left his declaration open-ended, she assumed not wanting to put any pressure on her.
She smiled. ‘Well, you treated me in Paris, I should at least take you for dinner.’
After they had a very pleasant meal and she walked him to his hotel, she realised how special this was, this feeling of being accepted for who she was. He wasn’t enamoured with Sophie the high-powered lawyer, and didn’t seem at all interested in how successful her career had been. He couldn’t share in her heartbreak over Emily, but he understood her and he had shown he cared and wanted to listen. And he seemed to simply enjoy being with her.
When he leaned forward and touched her lips with a gentle kiss, she didn’t pull back. It was okay. It was okay to move on from Matt, open up a space in her heart after the death of her daughter and mother, even if this turned out not to be something long-term, at least it felt good